Posts Tagged With: Johnnycakes

This old Virginia dish is easy and delicious. Start with about a pound of sausage meat. Form into patties and fry lightly in a pan until just browned. Remove the sausage, pour our the fat (not in the fire) and melt some butter in the pan, enough to barely cover the bottom. Core and slice three apples to a thickness of about 1/4 inch and place in pan setting it over a low heat. When apples have softened slightly add a half cup of brown sugar and a tablespoon of cinnamon. As soon as the sugar has mixed with the butter and formed a thick syrup add back the sausage and cook for another ten minutes or so

Confederate Shortbread

Wheat flour was quite scarce in the South during the Civil War so soldiers baked bread from available ingredients such as white cornmeal. Try to find white cornmeal to make this a bit more authentically Confederate. Although this recipe uses baking powder to make the cornbread fluffier, Confederate soldiers did not have baking powder.

Ingredients:

– 1 TB butter

– 2 cups white cornmeal (not self-rising)

– 2 tsp. baking powder

– 3/4 tsp. salt

– 2 eggs

– 2 cups milk

– 1/4 cup oil

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease the 9″ square baking pan with the butter. Combine the cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a small bowl whip the eggs with a fork and combine with the milk and oil. Stirring only until all the dry ingredients are wet, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.

Johnnycakes

Johnnycakes were popular particularly in the Northeast but eaten across the United States since the 1600’s. The recipe is very simple and fun to make.

Ingredients:

– 1 cup water

– 1 1/2 cups ground yellow cornmeal

– 1/2 tsp. salt

– 1/2 cup milk

– 2 TB butter

– syrup, molasses, or preserves for topping

Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a medium saucepan. Combine the cornmeal, salt, boiled water, and milk in a medium bowl. Stir well. Melt the 2 TB butter in a skillet or a cast iron griddle over medium heat. Pour 1 TB of batter into the skillet, pancake style to cook. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until edges are lacy and lightly browned using a spatula to turn. Serve hot with molasses, maple syrup and butter.

Navy Bean Soup

Soak the beans overnight or for at least 8-12 hours before beginning the recipe. Cook in cast iron for better flavor and an authentic re-enactment.

Ingredients:

– 1 cup (8 oz) dried navy beans

– 5 cups water

– 1/2 pound salt pork or slab bacon

– 2 large carrots or 1 cup chopped

– 1 large onion or 3/4 Cup chopped

– 1 large potato, unpeeled, but cut into 1/2 inch pieces

– 1 tsp. salt- 1/2 tsp. pepper

Wash the beans in a colander and pick out and discard any discolored ones or pieces of dirt.Place the beans in a large stock pot or Dutch oven covered with water at least 2 inches above the beans and allow to soak overnight. Drain the beans. Add 5 cups water, salt pork, carrots and onions to the beans.

Stir the mixture. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer the beans at least 45 minutes or until the beans are tender. Add the chopped potatoes salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook about 15 more minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.